One month to go: #EUsteel14

European Steel Day 15/05/2014

“Climate Action is needed. But for investments in renewable energy sources steel is needed. For instance, 75 per cent of a wind-tower is made of steel. Therefore the European steel industry needs a competitive environment in order to safeguard steel production and affordable prices”, says Gordon Moffat, Director General EUROFER

Climate Protection and Energy supply are the most urgent issues in this springtime. In these days, the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Chance IPCC released the final Report. Their conclusion is clear: we have all the tools to solve the climate crisis, but we must act quickly and decisively to stave off climatic disaster.

At the moment 400 TWh electricity is produced in wind- and solar parks. The World Wildlife Fund WWF asks for an increase up to 25.000 TWh until 2050. An incredible figure, if you bare in mind, that the Eiffel Tower in Paris has been built up of 7.000 tons of steel.

How can the European steel industry supply the demand, if energy costs are shooting up, whereas elsewhere in the world Energy prices are declining? A balanced energy and climate policy has to be found and installed, this is consensus even between the steel industry and the European Greens.

At the European Steel Day Wolfgang Eder, president EUROFER and CEO voestalpine will discuss amongst others with Reinhard Bütikhofer, MEP European Green Party about a climate policy which preserves industrial competitiveness in Europe.

Representing by EUROFER, the European steel industry represents the world leader in its sector, producing on average 170 million of tonnes of steel per year with direct employment of 350.000 highly skilled people. More than 500 steel production and processing sites in 24 member states provide direct and indirect employment for millions of European citizens.